News

Luke's Mexican rave

Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) Football Club is located in North London. The club is also known as Spurs. Tottenham's home ground is White Hart Lane. The club motto is Audere est Facere (To dare is to do).

Luke Young revelled in playing his favourite role for England Under-21s on Thursday night — unfortunately he only looks likely to play in that preferred right-back slot for county rather than club.

The 21-year-old came through the ranks at Spurs as a right-back before being plucked from the reserves to make his Premiership debut at West Ham in central defence in the middle of an injury crisis.

He excelled at Upton Park, played the next couple of months in that position and with Stephen Carr emerging as the best right-back in the Premiership, has only played right-back when Carr has been injured.

But Luke’s versatility has certainly helped him accrue almost 80 first team appearances since that debut back in November 1998 - filling in at left-back during the last month of last season.

Luke said at Filbert Street: “I just enjoy playing in a position I like playing in. It gives me the chance to play at right-back for England whereas at club level I don’t really get that chance. I’ve got Stephen Carr in front of me, so generally I have to look elsewhere.

“It’s always good to play for England. That’s my ninth cap and with another game coming up hopefully I can make it ten.

“It’s nice to get half a game out there. The gaffer said he would make a lot of changes and we all knew we would play half a game.”

It was Luke’s first taste of Mexico on the football pitch and he reflected: “You always know that they are going to get a little feisty somewhere along the line.

“The guy eventually got himself sent off and Howard Wilkinson actually said to their manager at half-time to take the number four off. It was a little bit naughty at times but you expect that.”